Local trainer still helping athletes via virtual workouts

Performance Coach Anthony Spain knows that motivation and accountability are huge when it comes to meeting your goals. That’s why he’s been virtually coaching his athletes through platforms like Zoom and Facebook Live.

“If I wasn’t there, you know how it is when we workout, we’re supposed to do 10 reps, but we’ll be done at eight or nine," Spain said. "When I’m there, I’m making sure their tempos are right, they’re getting all their reps in.”

“He’s always bringing the energy, he’s bringing the pain and he’s always pushing me to be a better person, a better athlete,” said professional golfer, Berry Henson.

“You’re at home and he’s here like we are right now and he’s correcting if you’re doing something wrong or giving you instruction so it’s actually pretty easy,” said Palm Desert pitcher Alec Weigel.

For the athletes, communication during workouts is crucial.

“As a professional athlete, I need the face-on-face, like I need to see him, I need to see his energy, I need that, or I’m going to be lost,” Henson said.

“It helps a lot because you could find yourself at home slacking off a little bit or trying to relax a little more than you should, but Anthony definitely pushes you and make sure you stay up to the task,” said Weigel.

Spain says the most challenging part is the lack of equipment, but navigating that has made him a more dynamic trainer.

“We’re using anything from water bottles to gallons of paint to whatever we can find to load it up,” he said. “This is the first time that I’ve had to strictly almost do all bodyweight stuff and so it really makes me think outside the box of things to get your heart rate up.”

While this is a difficult time for athletes, who are missing out on playing the sports they love, Spain looks at it as an opportunity for them.

“You have all the time in the world to get better, take advantage of it," Spain said. "What’s one hour a day?”

He’s even offering a free workout for local athletes. Here's his email spainwr23@hotmail.com for those interested.